- Written, art & cover by Francis Manapul
“BETTER TOGETHER” part 1! Together again for the first time! Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. The core of the World’s Greatest Heroes…but with a new Man of Steel, the bonds these three share will be tested and redefined by super-star writer/artist Francis Manapul. In this premiere issue, see the trio travel from Metropolis to Gotham City and beyond to learn what forces launched their heroic careers. But how will this journey of discovery lead them to a new threat?
Pickup your copy of ‘Trinity’ #1 at Comixology now!
‘Trinity’ has been a genuine surprise for me. When I was watching the DC Comics Rebirth launch panel it felt like this series could have been a cash cow off the back of ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ however it is anything but.
Clearly I was too shortsighted to see that the basic premise of ‘Trinity’ would be affected by the events that led in to ‘Rebirth’ itself. With the ‘New 52’ era Superman dead and replaced by the pre-Crisis Superman. Much has been made of he reappearance to the continuity in the press and thankfully it hasn’t been ignored by writers either.
This issue, entirely created by Francis Manapul, focusses on pre-Crisis Lois Lane trying to bring the titular trinity back together. The whole issue is very simply an introduction. The opening pages are narrated by Lois Lane which was not expected but actually gave a great audience viewpoint in to the world of ‘Trinity’.
From there came a series of splash pages each designed around one of the headlining characters. Wonder Woman’s costume is again slightly tweaked from its mainstream series appearance… perhaps this is her dinner party uniform?
Manapul writes a great palpable tension in the air at dinner. It’s never more evident than in dialogue between Bruce and any other character in the book. The individual character voices are in no means compromised for the sake of bringing them together in a non ‘Justice League’ title.
What was most intriguing to me in reading this issue was exactly how the characters would be able to put to bed their differences. No fan is surprised by Bruce’s mistrust, his relationship with New 52 Superman was built on years of experience and now he is faced with a man he no longer knows but who shares the face of his greatest ally.
Diana faces problems of her own having been romantically linked with New 52 Superman. There’s a small moment between Lois and Diana in this issue which helps deal with those emotions. However much fans disagreed with the Wonder Woman/Superman relationship it is given its due here in having its moment put to bed.
Of course this issue couldn’t simply be a family dinner. There’s a jumping off point for the rest of this storyline in the closing pages. It gives very little away but does build intrigue for what is to come.
As if writing the thing wasn’t enough Francis Manapul only went and pencilled, inked, coloured and probably also stapled the book. I love his artwork. It’s quite simply perfect. I’ve always said this about his comics.
The characters have strong, defined looks. The colours are rich without ever becoming over saturated. Landscapes are engaging and layouts are anything but standard. It’s very hard to think of anything critical to say for a book that looks this good.
Verdict
‘Trinity’ #1 is a brilliant opening gambit. Well written, stunningly drawn. There’s not a hugely engaging story but it is a great character piece with enough intrigue to keep readers entertained.
4 stars
